Beef is a regular menu item for lunch and dinner (unless you don’t eat meat). It is versatile to cook various tasty dishes, and you’ll never get tired of it.
If you have some leftovers, you might want to know the right way to reheat them for the next day’s meals. Whether you have leftover steak, roast beef, stews, or even beef stir fry with veggies, rest assured you can bring back their deliciousness with a few simple steps!
Keep reading to learn the proper ways to reheat every kind of leftover cooked beef! We also give you the basic rules for handling and storage to ensure the leftovers are safe to consume!
Tips for Proper Handling, Storage, and Reheating Cooked Beef
To be able to reheat safely, you need to cook and store beef appropriately. Here are some simple rules to maintain food safety.
1.Cook properly.
The USDA recommends cooking beef cuts until the internal temperature reaches 145 °F and 160 °F for ground beef.
2.Refrigerate promptly.
Keep in mind that cooked beef is perishable. That means the golden rule is to refrigerate any leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking and 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F.
Refrigeration extends the shelf life up to 3 to 4 days. For long-term storage, freezing is your best alternative.
3.Thaw safely.
If you have frozen leftovers, you should defrost them safely in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave. Never thaw on the countertop or at room temperatures. (*)
4.Reheat adequately.
Reheat leftovers thoroughly until the center reaches a safe temperature of 165 °F. You can reheat them in various ways, depending on how they were initially prepared – more on that below.
Next, we share the step-to-step guide to reheat various kinds of cooked beef to taste as fantastic as freshly prepared!
How To Reheat Various Types of Cooked Beef
The term ‘beef’ encompasses any meat cuts from a cow. Moreover, there are countless ways of cooking red meat. A suitable reheating method depends on the type of meat cut and the cooking method.
We write an ultimate guide to reheating every kind of cooked beef. Check the detailed procedures below!
How to Reheat Steaks
The usual complaint when reheating steak is chewy and tough meat. Don’t worry. You can use these two tested methods to achieve juicy and tender bites.
Option 1: Reheating steak in the oven and skillet
1. Set your oven to 250 to 275 °F.
2. Place the meat on a wire rack and put it on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust the time to the meat thickness.
4. Next, heat up a tablespoon of oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
5. Add the meat to the pan and cook for 1 minute for each side. Repeat this process until it achieves the level of doneness to your liking.
6. Once ready, let it rest for five minutes. Serve!
Option 2: Reheating steak on a stovetop
1. Take the leftover from the fridge and bring to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add some butter or oil to a skillet and turn the stove on medium-high heat.
3. Place the meat and reheat. Turn it over every minute to distribute the heat evenly. Reheat for 2 to 3 minutes to reach medium-rare or cook longer to your preferred doneness.
4. Allow resting for a few minutes before serving.
How to Reheat BBQ Beef Ribs
Learn the right ways to reheat leftover ribs so they taste as delicious as fresh off the grill! Stay away from the microwave and reheat them in the oven or grill!
Option 1: Reheating in the oven
1. Remove the leftovers from the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 225 to 250 °F.
3. Arrange ribs on an aluminum foil and coat with extra sauce (optional).
4. Wrap them in foil and add another layer of foil.
5. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the type of cut and portions. Keep a close eye to prevent them from overcooking.
Option 2: Reheating on the grill
1. Take out the ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to rest at room temperature.
2. Preheat the grill on high heat.
3. Once the ribs are ready, drizzle with extra sauce or a splash of water to help moisten them.
4. Wrap them loosely in aluminum foil.
5. Grill them on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes. Flip after 5 minutes.
How to Reheat Roast Beef
When the holiday dinner is over, you might have some roast beef leftovers. Store them right away and reheat them later!
Reheating roast beef in the oven requires different temperatures and amounts of time depending on the doneness level.
Option 1: Reheating in the oven
For medium-rare roast
1. Preheat your oven to 250 °F.
2. Wrap roast beef in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet.
3. Put it inside the oven and turn off the heat.
4. Leave for about 10 minutes.
For medium roast
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Wrap the meat in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.
3. Reheat for 3 to 5 minutes.
For well-done roast
1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
2. Place the meat in an oven-safe dish and reheat for 3 to 5 minutes (no need to wrap it).
Option 2: Reheating in the microwave
It’s a faster alternative than the oven method. Here is how to do it.
1. Place slices of roast beef in a microwaveable dish and add the juice.
2. Follow the reheating time and heat intensity below for each doneness level.
– For medium-rare: use low power, 2 to 3 minutes
– For medium and well-done: use high power, 2 minutes
How to Reheat Beef Stew
Different kinds of meat stews are easy to reheat, from the classic beef stew and carrots, beef bourguignon, stroganoff, or goulash – to name a few. You can reheat them quickly in a microwave or stovetop.
Option 1: Reheating leftover stew in the microwave
1. Place a portion of the stew in a microwavable bowl and cover with a lid.
2. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute and stir well. Repeat 3 to 4 times until the dish is thoroughly warmed up.
3. Serve!
Option 2: Reheating in a large pot
1. Transfer the stew into a large pot. Add extra liquid, such as broth, water, or wine (adjust with the original recipes).
2. Simmer over low heat and stir constantly. It should take 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Once the stew is evenly reheated, remove immediately to avoid overcooking. Serve!
How to Reheat Beef Stir Fry
If you have some leftovers of stir-fried beef from your favorite Chinese restaurant, you can reheat them quickly in the microwave or pan.
Option 1: Reheating in the microwave
1. Place the leftover in a microwave-safe container.
2. Add a tiny amount of water if the dish looks dry. Stir well to combine.
3. Microwave for 1 to 3 minutes on low to medium power. Extend the reheating time in 15 to 30 seconds intervals if necessary. Don’t forget to stir.
Option 2: Reheating in the pan
1. Heat up a small amount of oil in a pan.
2. When the oil is hot, add the leftovers. Add some water, if necessary.
3. Reheat over medium heat and stir well until the dish is nicely heated up but not burnt.
4. Serve immediately!
Tips: If the dish contains vegetables, separate and reheat them separately, so each component is nicely reheated. Put them back together before serving.
How to Reheat Burger Patty
Before reheating the patty, you need to remove the buns, salads, and other components. Next, you can reheat it in the oven, microwave, or pan.
Option 1: Reheating in the oven
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
2. Place a metal rack on a baking tray. Arrange the patties on the rack.
3. Reheat for about 3 minutes on one side and flip.
4. Add the buns and continue reheating for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Done!
Option 2: Reheating in the pan
1. Add a few drops of water in a pan, place the burger patty, and cover with a fitting lid.
2. Reheat over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, flip halfway. Adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness.
Option 3: Reheating in a microwave
1. Place the patty in a suitable container.
2. Set the microwave on low to medium power and reheat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip halfway if the patty is thick.
3. After the 2 minutes mark, check if it’s evenly reheated. If necessary, extend the reheating time for 20 to 30 seconds.
FAQs
Can you reheat beef twice?
Technically, you can. However, the best advice is to reheat it only once for quality and safety reasons. Suppose you have ‘leftover’ or reheated leftovers. In that case, you must ensure that it is refrigerated promptly before you can reheat it safely.
Does reheating beef kill bacteria?
Yes. Proper reheating effectively kills harmful bacteria. However, if you have left leftovers for too long, reheating won’t make them safe to eat. Some bacteria may grow and produce heat-resistant toxins during this time.
Moreover, if you suspect that the leftover has gone bad, don’t bother to reheat it. Discard it right away. (*)
In a Nutshell
So, don’t worry if you have beef leftovers. You can always reheat them for a quick, delicious meal.
There you go, the ultimate guide to reheat various kinds of cooked beef. The proper technique is subject to the type of meat cuts and cooking methods. Follow our tips above!
Rosa graduated with a master degree in Food Safety from Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands. Recently, she started a consulting agency to facilitate the improvement of food safety, quality, and sustainability.
